Semi-auto .308 - options & opinions, please.

StevieP

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Posted this question in the hardware forum, but figured I'd throw it out here.

What are some options for a decent semi-automatic .308?

M1A. AR-10 variants (which?). Browning BAR. FAL? Other?

Something 'tactical' in nature, that could be used for hunting and occasional target shooting, versus a target gun that'd be unwieldy for hunting.
 
If your hunting MA you can't use a rifle.

Like above, HK or PTR91. I shot them with the German army and here in the states. They are good rifles. After a few pistol purchases ill be getting a ptr
 
Personally, I am making decisions on the above based on magazine availability. Pre-ban magazine availability.

I have been leaning toward a Rock River LAR that uses the FAL mags. Problem is still the difficulty of getting the gun for a reasonable price.
 
i'd personally go with 308 saiga/vepr
saiga/vepr being the best bang for your buck and super reliable and very good quality guns.

cetme/g3 clones can be had for that price and they carry one distinct advantage over saiga/vepr - cheap inexpensive pre-ban hi-caps. but they also carry a potential of not being very well put together. even with PTR you are not guaranteed to get good quality gun. their QC is lacking thoroughness in the last years

FAL will run you around 1k-1200 depending on manufacturer and mod metric vs inch. euro vs south american vs north american

majority of the more affordable FALs and G3s however are century built stuff i would stick with Izhmash or Molot build gun instead of century built gun
 
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If you don't reload, .308 is big bucks these days. All the major platforms have pluses and minuses, but they are all great rifles (M1A, AR10, FAL, HK91). I have owned a couple PTRs and I really like them. Mags aren't $1 each anymore, but they are still pretty affordable and can be found.
 
Navy Garand trophy rifle. Great truck gun.
 
Used to have a FA-91, which is a lower tier HK91 clone. Loved that damn rifle. Heavy as shit, but sure as hell fun to shoot. Wouldn't call it a "target" rifle though, just as I wouldn't call any battle proven .308 a "target rifle". Battle rifle all the way.
 
At this point in time, I would strongly consider either LMT MWS or KAC ER. They both use KAC pattern magazines, and Magpul came out with a 10 round version.
 
I have an M1A and I've shot a FAL, PTR91 and a DPMS AR10 variant. I'm sticking with my M1A based on those. A SCAR 17 might change my mind though and FAL magazines can be modified to work in it. I've also heard good things about the FNAR.
 
I built myself a FrankenFAL that runs like a top and is accurate as heck. I got the parts kit for free, so with the receiver, 922r-compliant parts, and tools to do the job right, I think it ran me about $700. I love that rifle.
 
AR-10 variants: I have an LMT, which I'm very partial to. It's heavy for a hunting rifle, but manageable.

Browning BAR can also be found as the FN FNAR, with plastic furniture and rails, if those are your thing. Not cheap.

Saigas/VEPRs offer acceptable accuracy and low cost, but pre-ban mags don't exist and the irons are noticeably worse than most of the other options.

FAL variants can be affordable, accurate, reliable, and manageable to find mags for, but getting one that is all of these things will involve more research, and may involve building it.

G3 variants are fairly accurate, and cheap pre-bans are plentiful. Well made ones are reliable, cheap ones usually aren't. All of them do horrible things to brass.

M1As are expensive, accurate, and have pre-bans available.
 
I have an M1A, and it shoots well, but is a pain to clean. I've fired the SCAR, and if I could do it all again, I would have gone with the SCAR.
 
Of the ones I have, my order of preference;

Pre-ban SEI M14 med weight barrel chambered for M118
M1 Garand with Barnett med weight barrel in 7.62x51 built by Brookfield Precision Tool
STG 58 (FAL)
HK91
My Fulton receivered 'modern' M14 hasn't been fired enough to rank it.

I love 'em all and don't find any of them particularly difficult to disassemble and clean.

They all shoot better than I.
 
I was actually just talking to someone who has a SCAR17 and says it is the best 308 he's ever had or used, which is saying something for him. He had a couple of his buddies shoot it and they liked it so much they each went out and picked one up too. Of course you need like $3000 to blow. Can we even get those in MA? I would loved to be proved wrong but I doubt they are making a MA legal version with a fixed stock and no threads on the barrel.
 
One day it's going to be a HK 41. Safe buddy for the SL7 and M1A NM

Wish I didn't sell this one:

2011_05_22_17_59_31_204.jpg
 
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